Bogdanov Holds More Meetings with Lebanese Officials

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov resumed on Friday talks with Lebanese officials on the presidential impasse following his return from Syria.

Bogdanov met early Friday with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki.

“We held deep and detailed talks on the regional developments and the conditions in Lebanon,” Bogdanov said after the meeting.

He added it was “in Lebanon's interest and the region to elect a president as soon as possible.”

The Russian official then headed to Maarab for talks with Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.

Bogdanov made a similar remark after meeting Geagea, who said neither the Russian envoy nor a French official who had visited Beirut have proposed presidential candidate names.

In Bnashii, Bogdanov said he discussed with Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh “all the current issues, including the election of a president in Lebanon, the developments in the entire region, and the Syrian crisis.”

Moscow is seeking “accord and comprehensive national dialogue that respects interests and rights in Lebanon and Syria, together with its friends in Syria and Lebanon,” the Russian official added.

Asked whether he sensed willingness to engage in dialogue by the parties in Lebanon, Bogdanov said: “To a certain extent.”

The diplomat was in Lebanon last week during which he met with politicians from the rival parties, including Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Talks focused on the presidential deadlock, the Syrian crisis and regional developments.

He later traveled to Turkey for meetings with Syrian opposition leaders and then to Syria where he met on Wednesday with President Bashar Assad.

The diplomat said he discussed with Assad Moscow's efforts to bring all sides in Syria's civil war to the negotiating table.

G.K./Y.R.

H.K.